WEN LA3424 4.5-Amp 12-Inch by 18-Inch 5-Speed Benchtop Wood Lathe , Black

I'm newer to wood turning, so I wanted to step my way into it without spending a lot of money. Prior to this, I owned the WEN Mini Lathe, which I liked a lot. I was torn between this one and the larger, variable speed model. Ultimately I selected this lathe.PROs: This lathe is larger than I expected and solid. It has good power and is compatible with the majority of lathe accessories on the market.Critiques: This is not a variable speed speed lathe so you have to change the belt position during each stage of your project (actually much less of a hassle than I was concerned with). Oddly, the spindle belt door is on the back? Being on the front, like most lathes, would make things easier. The belt doors are very thin plastic so I'm wondering if that will be a problem down the road.All in all, this is a good lathe for the price and I'm glad I bought it. I bought the WEN lathe stand along with it, which I highly recommend. As long as the quality and durability remain, I'll be using this for a while.UPDATE: My concerns unfortunately came to fruition, ended up returning this model twice due to a bad headstock bearing. I purchased the next size up WEN and it's a world of difference.

I love this tool. For the price it is amazingly solid. I bought it to make a pair of 1/6th scale row boat ores, they turned out perfect. Now I'm making all kinds of fun stuff.

I bought this lathe with some trepidation, but after putting it to the test, I was very satisfied. Ideal for small and medium-sized jobs.

I have many WEN products. I believe they're the best you can buy for the amount of money you spend.I bought this WEN wood lathe with confidence. However within the first month of use, something in the headstock started making a clicking sound when you turned it by hand. As I continued to use the lathe, the clicking sound is more prevalent. At this rate I expect the bearings will fail completely within 6 months. When this happens I will replace the bearings myself or simply buy another lathe (one with variable speed).I am still a WEN fan.I have not contacted WEN about this because the only fix would be to return the machine for repair and I'm not about to do that.

This machine works great so far

Extremely satisfied, this lathe was everything that it was advertised to be and more. Extremely easy to set up.

My first wood Lathe! Not a stranger to being around a machine shop, spent some of my childhood in one. But after endless frustration with sellers of used, the last a HF 36 Inch, and adding up my gas bill to collect it, the price came out more than this little wonder.I am so, so happy with this. Really you don't need a long bed if you are new to wood turning, and if you did, this model does provide an extension option.Everything came out as intended by the makers. Amazon did a great job of delivering, Wem did a great job of making and packing, Easy instructions out of the box, on a prepared bench slot, installed the parts as directed in the hand book. And checking belt tension, test ran to enjoy this little gem whirring away like it is supposed to!Did not turn any wood on it because, late at 11 PM, disturbing neighbors is not a good idea, and I would have to run a table saw to make 9 X 3 inch square stock to round.Tomorrow.Sorry about trading a 3/4 outside edge gouge for an inside version. Never ever give up ones tools!Now just have to wait for Amazon the ship me a roughing gouge so I can really chew up some softwood.

I'm a beginner at wood turning. This lathe has been perfect for learning on. It's a little time-consuming to adjust the speed, but that's built-in to the cost. I've made Christmas tree ornaments, measuring cup handles, bottle stoppers, and a small vase. It's easy to find compatible accessories.